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Georgia Power and PowerSecure announce new microgrid project with Georgia Tech

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March 7, 2019

Georgia Power and PowerSecure announce new microgrid project with Georgia Tech

Georgia Power today announced, in collaboration with Georgia Tech, it will build a new 1.4 MW microgrid in Tech Square at Spring and 5th streets in Metro Atlanta. Microgrids are self-contained power systems co-located with the facilities they serve that include generation resources, storage systems and energy management systems.

The Tech Square Microgrid, which was approved by the Georgia Public Service Commission and will begin operating this fall, will be used to evaluate how a microgrid can effectively integrate into and operate as part of the overall electrical grid. Additionally, it will serve as a living laboratory for Georgia Tech professors and students who will use the asset to gather data on controllers, cybersecurity devices and energy economics.

"The Tech Square Microgrid project will give us a better understanding of the resiliency, sustainability and cost of microgrids to help develop emerging energy solutions to better serve our customers now and in the future," said Paul Bowers, chairman, president and CEO for Georgia Power. "Working with Georgia Tech gives us an opportunity to drive innovation by collaborating with one of the nation's leading research institutions while students and faculty get a firsthand learning experience on an operating power system."

Southern Company subsidiary PowerSecure, an integrated solutions provider that designs; builds; owns and operates microgrids; will be implementing the latest in microgrid technology for this project.

The microgrid will provide Georgia Power with insight on how smart energy management systems, such as the one being installed at the CODA data center that is currently under construction, can interact with the grid to achieve optimal utilization of energy. In addition, it will also provide teaching and learning opportunities for Georgia Tech professors and students.

"Georgia Tech and Georgia Power have partnered together on a number of important initiatives over the years, and we are very excited about our latest collaborative effort, the new microgrid in Tech Square," said Georgia Tech President G. P. "Bud" Peterson. "In addition to actually delivering power, it will also serve as a 'research microgrid,' allowing Georgia Power, Southern Company, Georgia Tech and other partners to study the microgrid performance and conduct controlled experiments to develop and test new and innovative energy solutions for the future."

The installation will include fuel cells, battery storage, diesel generators and a natural gas generator, but it is adaptive to new and additional distributed energy resources. It is designed to also accommodate microturbines, solar panels and electric vehicle chargers in the future. All components will be placed on a platform and obscured from view with seven-foot-high fencing and gate access along Williams Street in Atlanta.

About Georgia PowerGeorgia Power is the largest electric subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), America's premier energy company. Value, Reliability, Customer Service and Stewardship are the cornerstones of the Company's promise to 2.5 million customers in all but four of Georgia's 159 counties. Committed to delivering clean, safe, reliable and affordable energy at rates below the national average, Georgia Power maintains a diverse, innovative generation mix that includes nuclear, coal and natural gas, as well as renewables such as solar, hydroelectric and wind. Georgia Power focuses on delivering world-class service to its customers every day and the Company is consistently recognized by J.D. Power and Associates as an industry leader in customer satisfaction. For more information, visit www.GeorgiaPower.com and connect with the Company on Facebook (Facebook.com/GeorgiaPower), Twitter (Twitter.com/GeorgiaPower) and Instagram (Instagram.com/ga_power).

About PowerSecure

PowerSecure, a Southern Company subsidiary, is a leading provider of innovative energy solutions to electric utilities and their industrial, institutional, and commercial customers. PowerSecure provides energy solutions in the following areas: distributed generation, energy storage and renewables, energy efficiency and utility infrastructure. The company is a pioneer in developing distributed power systems and the integration of distributed energy resources in a sophisticated microgrid. This includes the ability to forecast electricity demand and optimize the deployment of the systems, provides utilities with dedicated electric capacity to utilize for grid resiliency, provides customers with the most reliable power in the industry, and optimizes the value streams to the utility and its customers from the 2 GW of distributed energy resources it has installed and controls across the US.